Buffer



March 14, 1933. DE FQREST ROE 1,901,377

BUFFER Filed' May 10, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l March 14, 1933.

DE FOREST ROE BUFFER Filed May 10, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 14, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE a nn ronnsr ROE, or ELYRIA', onro, Assrenon we ran COLSONCOMPANY, or. CLEVELAND, 3

I 0310, A conronnrron or orrro BUFFER Application filed May 10', 1929. Serial No. 361,875.

My invention relates to buffers for furniture legs, and relates more particularly to annular rubber buffers adapted tobe used A on bed legs.

An object of my invention is to provide a rubber buffer adapted to be secured to the legs of a bed to marring furniture, base boards and the like when pushed about the room.

Another object of my invention is to-provide a buffer for a bed which acts as a are ordinarily had by a patlent when the bed is moved about or when. a'truck or the like bumps against the leg of the bed.

' Another object of my invention is to provide a buffer adapted to fit and to be secured to different sizes of legs. 7

Another object of my invention is to provide a buffer which will remain securely in place when fastened to the legs of an article of furniture and not be easily displaced.

Another object of my invention isto provide a buffer of simple and economical construction which may be applied laterally to the leg of an article of furniture, to encircle it, thus obviating lifting of the bed which would otherwise be necessary. I

Other objects of my invention and the invention itself will become apparent by ref erence to the following description of an embodiment of my invention illustrated and described therein.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a bed with buffers embodying my invention secured to the legs thereof.

. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the buffer being applied to a furniture leg.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the bufier on a furniture leg partially drawn'into position. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the buffer of Fig ures 2 and 3 tightlyclamped upon a furniture leg.

Fig. 5 is a plan view ment of my invention.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of still another'embodiment, certain parts being broken away,

of another embodiand shown in secton.

prevent the bed from Fig. 7 is anelevational view of: the buffer of Fig. 6. r f

. Fig. 8 is a. vertical, medial, sectional View ofthebuffer of Fig. 4. j i,

9 is a vertical medial, sectional view of the buffer of Fig. 6. V I i Referring to the figures of the drawings wherein like. parts are designated by like reference characters, my buffer comprises generally a rubber annulus 2 divided at 35 30 and having a central bore 4. shock absorber, eliminating the jolts which A C-shaped metalllc strip 5 of rectangular cross-section isdisposed in the an:

7 nulus about the bore 4 and is, provided with ends 6 and 7, one end 6 being screw threaded at 8, .and the other end provided with an aperture 9. An. engaged aperture 10 is disposed in the annulus extending fromthe metallic end 7 to the periphery of thegannulus, being adapted to permit access to ;the =i'0 aperture 9 inthe metallic insert. 7 An aperture of smaller diameter 11 is provided, which extends from the other side of the metallic insert 7, communicating with the divided portion of the annulus' A 55 7 I smaller aperture 12 is provided, which'com-' municates with the insert which is inthe opposite direction of the annulus and arecess 13 is disposed on the opposite side of V the metallic insert 6. The apertures 10, 1'1, 12and 13 inthe'annulus and the apertures 8 and 9 in the insert are in axial alignment adapted to receive therein ,a screw .141, for drawing the divided ends of the annulus closely together whenthe screw is tightened= in the insert end 6. s

As best shownin Figs. 8and9, thewalls of the bore 4 are of gradually diminishing area from a point 15 proceeding from the middle of the annulus towards both endsj16- ofthebore. 1 Furniture -legs, especially on :hospital beds and. the like, areusually of a standard constructiombeing of square or round cross section such as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. In applying the annulus of my invention as best shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the annulus is spread apart as shown inFig. 2 and disposed about the leg 17 until the leg centers in the aperture bore 4. The split walls of ture 8 until the ends of the metallic loop or clamp are drawn towards each other as shown in Fig. 3, carrying with it the rubber body of the annulus. The bolt may be tightened until the faces of the split portions of the annulus are drawn tightly together. The resiliency of the material and the shape of the bore will permit the annulus to be disposed about legs of various sizes.

In Fig. 6 I have more particularly shown a buffer adapted for use on square legs. The buffer of Fig. 5 is more especially adapted for substantially square legs of the typehaving a ridge or ribbed portion running up the pair of the sides commonly known as grace line. The buffer of Figs. 2, 3 and 4 is adapted for round legs such as shown in Fig. 1. v

Having thus described my invention in a preferred embodiment I am aware that numerous and extensive departures may be made from the embodiment herein illustrated and describedbut without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim: I

1. A buffer for furniture legsv comprising a rubber annulus of substantial thickness divided transversely at one point} of its length and having an interior bore of gradually diminishing transverse area proceeding from the middle toward both ends of the bore. V i

2. A buffer element for furniturelegs, comprising a split rubber annulus of substantial thickness constructedto be inherently contractible to tightly grip the leg with the inner wall of the annulus in resilient compressive contact therewith, said inner wall extending divergingly from the two ends of the annulus to its interiorly disposed middle portions. 7 3.;In a buffer for furniture or like legs, a split rubber annulus having a longitudinal bore, a split metal band in the form of aloop embodied within the annulus and embracing the longitudinal bore thereof, means engaging the two ends of the band adapted to draw them and the divided rubber annulus edges together to contractively grip an encircled leg, the bore being of gradually increasing transverse area proceedin from the ends ofthe bore interiorly thereof. 7 V

4. In a buffer for the legs of furnitureor the like, a split rubber annulus, a split metal band embodied in the annulus and embracing the bore'thereof, means adapted to engage the ends of the band and to draw them toward each other to draw the annulus together at the split portion thereof to contractingly grip an encircled leg.

5. In a buffer for the legs of furniture or the like, a split rubber annulus, a generally ing ends of the annulus at thereof,

'C-shaped strip of metal embedded within the material of the annulus and with the ends thereof disposed adjacent the confrontthe split portions and a screw-threaded element adapted to engage the ends of the strip and draw them toward each other to clamp the annulus on an encircled leg, said screwthreaded means being disposed entirely within the exterior surface of the. annulus when in said clamped position.

7. In a buffer for furniture or hke legs,

a split rubber annulus, means entirely embedded within the annulus for drawing the divided rubber annulus edges together to contractively grip an encircled leg, the annulus bore being of gradually increasing transverse area proceeding from the. ends of the bore interiorly thereof. 7

I 8. In a buffer for furniture or like legs, a split rubber annulus, means entirely embedded within the annulus for drawing the adjacent end portions of the divided annulus toward each other to contractively grip an encircled leg, the embedded means comprising a threaded nut element adjacent one annulus end portion, a perforated washer element adjacent the other annulus end portion, and a screw projected through the perforation and engaging the washer by a head portion thereof and screwed into the threaded nut element.

signature this 8th day of May, 1929.

DE FOREST ROE. 

